The spot many knew as “Winks” in the Science Park area of Beachwood is now the Winking Lizard, a household name for many Clevelanders.

I have been going to the Winking Lizard location on Miles Road for many years now, but a new location is more convenient and should attract Beachwood residents.

As many readers know, the Lizard is a classic bar and grill with a few unique twists. One of those relates to the restaurant’s name. Just as at their other locations, the new Beachwood location has a large glass-enclosed area housing a pet lizard. This is a family-friendly feature, along with the game room.

However, the food is what attracts people, and what makes the downtown-location so crowded before major sporting events or concerts.

If you haven’t been to the Lizard, you’re missing out. The new location, at 25800 Central Parkway, shouldn’t be too far for anybody in Beachwood.

Prices are ideal for other restaurants like it, but they aren’t too expensive.

The menu is large, but not so large that it takes a long time to read. It’s also well-organized.

While the beer selection makes the place very popular with adults, the Winking Lizard also offers an extensive array of options for soft drinks. You can order any drink from the up and coming Coca-Cola Freestyle machine, so I’d be surprised if you couldn’t find a soda flavor you like.

The same applies for the actual menu.

In my opinion, the thing that distinguishes the Winking Lizard from other bar & grills is the wings. They offer a large variety of flavors and are famous for their super spicy “911” and “Magma” flavors; the latter requires a signed waiver to consume. I have had the 911 before. Try it at your own risk.

On my most recent visit, I ordered the “Goldfinger” wings. You can get boneless or bone-in. This flavor is a mild, sweet sort of barbeque flavor that is not really spicy, but still very good. I’ve tried a lot of the flavors there, and they are all good. If you prefer spicy, this is the right place for you.

For a side, I got the “Mac & Cheese” wedges. This sounds weird, but it’s very good. They are crispy fried wedges of mac & cheese. The menu contains a lot of sides that are all very good, including chicken fingers or “Lizard Lips,” potato skins, “Pffred Fries” with bacon and cheese and more.

The restaurant also offers items on the lighter side including salmon, grilled chicken, wraps and more.

I can almost guarantee that you will find something you like on the menu. Other items on the menu include burgers, ribs, sandwiches, salads and more. There is also a kids’ menu.

The staff is also very nice. In my many visits, I’ve encountered few problems. The restaurant can get very crowded during major events or on weekends, which sometimes makes it take a little longer for food to be served, but it’s worth the wait.

For those who like sports, the Winking Lizard is a great place to watch a Cavs or Browns game. Numerous HD flatscreen TVs are displayed throughout the restaurant, so you can enjoy the great food, in a great atmosphere, for a decent price, with good hospitality just minutes from any Beachwood home.